Bayern Munich in a League of Their Own After 4th Consecutive Bundesliga Title | Bleacher Report Bayern Munich in a League of Their Own After 4th Consecutive Bundesliga Title By Clark Whitney , Chief Writer May 8, 2016 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories Matthias Schrader/Associated Press 31 Comments Bayern Munich wrapped up the 2015-16 Bundesliga title on Saturday, as they edged Ingolstadt 2-1 at the Audi Sportpark. The result put Pep Guardiola's men eight points clear of Borussia Dortmund with one game left to play, leaving the record champions decisive victors. It took longer for Bayern to clinch the league title than in recent years thanks to a resilient BVB that will end the season as history's best second-placed team. But although their victory came somewhat late, Bayern have been almost flawless; their 85 points in 33 matches means they will have the third-best points haul in Bundesliga history. And having conceded just 16 goals, their defensive record will set a new league record provided they allow no more than one goal in their final match of the campaign against Hannover on Saturday.

What Bayern have managed to do in the last four Bundesliga seasons is truly extraordinary. They've recorded the three best points tallies (and barring a miracle performance from Hannover, the three best defensive records) in league history. It's been a story of complete dominance to the extent many teams hardly bother to show up and some players literally opt not to appear—there were some instances when it appeared players got themselves suspended to avoid playing Bayern, although only Werder Bremen duo Zlatko Junuzovic and Clemens Fritz admitted it, per ESPN FC . Yet for all their domestic dominance, this isn't the best Bayern Munich team in history. That honor goes to the side that won three consecutive European Cups between 1974 and 1976 and contained such legends as Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Sepp Maier, Paul Breitner, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, Uli Hoeness and a young Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Four-in-a-row!

Bayern Munich are the Bundesliga champions pic.twitter.com/ufChZSPQtl — Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) May 7, 2016 Although the current Bayern team managed to win the UEFA Champions League in 2012-13, it hasn't progressed to the final since despite obtaining similarly dominant domestic results. Nor has this Bayern looked to be among the top two or three teams in the competition. In 2014 and 2015, they were humiliated by Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively. This year, they lost respectably to Atletico Madrid and truly might be among the top two or three teams, although Juventus pushed them to the brink as well. Regardless of their level, it's clear Bayern have not enjoyed sustained continental dominance as they did in the 1970s. Frankly, their team in recent years hasn't been as stocked with legends of the game. Jerome Boateng and Robert Lewandowski may be great, but Beckenbauer and Muller were among the best players football has seen in their respective positions.

The difference we see between the 1970s and today comes down to the strength of the Bundesliga relative to that of the rest of Europe. Bayern only won the Bundesliga once during the spell in which they claimed three European Cups, and that time (in 1974), they only edged Borussia Monchengladbach by a point. The German top flight was strong overall at the time, and Gladbach won the league three consecutive times from 1975 to 1977—even as the best Bayern ever dominated Europe. Now, there is a different scenario, one that sees the rest of the Bundesliga struggling, as Bayern are the only side that can reliably perform in the Champions League. They aren't the best team in the world and haven't been since 2013. Yet they are miles ahead of the rest of the Bundesliga. Dortmund had a truly remarkable 2015-16 season but still effectively lost the league long before Bayern clinched the title. The simple truth is Bayern are in a league of their own in terms of prestige, squad strength and financial might—all of which are interrelated.

The success of previous decades brought prestige that helped recruit players and win the support and sponsorships that produced enough financial success to build sustained status as a superpower. CHRISTOF STACHE/Getty Images Based on figures from Fussball-Geld , one can calculate that Bayern's revenue (excluding transfers) after the 32nd matchday of the 2015-16 season was 49 percent more than the closest runner-up (BVB), 77 percent more than the next (Wolfsburg) and twice as much as the fourth-richest side, Schalke. Bayern's non-transfer income was more than two-and-a-half times that of the average Bundesliga side and just under eight times those of promoted sides Darmstadt and Ingolstadt. All the while, Bayern's spending continues to soar. Their wages have ballooned this season, with Thomas Muller, per Bild , and Manuel Neuer, also per Bild , signing record contracts worth €15 million per year and Jerome Boateng being given a raise to €12 million. The club has also given David Alaba and Javi Martinez bumper contracts.

Seeing some €100 million or more of talent on the Bayern bench every week is evidence enough the Bavarian giants are simply on another level to the rest of the Bundesliga. That, perhaps, is why the idea of a European "super league" is something Rummenigge is considering. The Bayern president dismissed the idea in 2013, according to the ECA , but in January, he admitted to reporters it is an option. His rationale was to maintain competition with the Premier League following its mega TV deal, but in fairness, the rest of the Bundesliga could support the super league with similar reasoning. For now, the Bundesliga exists with Bayern a part of it. But in truth, the Bavarians are one of several clubs around Europe that have broken clear of the rest and are worthy of creating a league of their own.

Soccer-Bayern win record fourth straight Bundesliga title Soccer-Bayern win record fourth straight Bundesliga title * Lewandowski double strike sinks Ingolstadt * Bayern eight points clear with one game left (Updates with Guardiola quotes) By Karolos Grohmann BERLIN, May 7 (Reuters) - Bayern Munich secured a record fourth consecutive Bundesliga title, with a game to spare, on Saturday after a 2-1 victory at Ingolstadt 04 eased the disappointment of their midweek Champions League exit. The Bavarians clinched a 26th German league crown, and their first silverware of the season, thanks to two goals from top scorer Robert Lewandowski in the first half. Four days after their away-goals defeat by Atletico Madrid ensured a third consecutive Champions League semi-final exit, Bayern went eight points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund who lost 1-0 at struggling Eintracht Frankfurt . "A big compliment to everyone in the team. I am happy to have lived these experiences here," said Bayern coach Pep Guardiola who will join Manchester City at the end of the season. "I want to share this title with (predecessor) Jupp Heynckes.

We achieved something very special, four league titles in a row." Heynckes started the run during the 2012-13 treble-winning season before Spaniard Guardiola took over. Bayern can secure the double when they meet Dortmund in the German Cup final on May 21 in Berlin. The final whistle sparked a party at the 15,000-seater Audi Sportpark, with forward Thomas Mueller grabbing a loudhailer to lead singing with the fans. In Guardiola's penultimate league game after three seasons in charge, Bayern went ahead when Lewandowski scored from the penalty spot in the 15th minute. The visitors took their foot off the gas and let Ingolstadt back into the game with a 42nd-minute penalty converted by Moritz Hartmann. BAYERN CONSISTENCY "It is no small feat to win the league four times in a row," said Mueller. "It required a lot of work, quality is not enough if you don't put the work into it. "The consistency we have shown in the last few years is incredible.

The beer glasses will be in full swing this evening." Borussia Moenchengladbach's Andre Hahn scored twice in a 2-1 comeback victory over Bayer Leverkusen that all but secured fourth place and a Champions League qualifying round spot. Gladbach, who lost their opening five league matches of the season, have 52 points. Mainz 05, Hertha Berlin and Schalke 04 are all on 49. Schalke conceded an 89th-minute equaliser in their 1-1 home draw with Augsburg while Hertha slumped to a 2-1 defeat against Darmstadt 98. Sandro Wagner's 83rd-minute winner delighted Darmstadt and made sure of their Bundesliga status next season. Former champions Werder Bremen drew 0-0 at Cologne and now meet Eintracht in their last game of the regular season. Werder are in the relegation playoff spot on 35 points with Eintracht one place above on 36. VfB Stuttgart, champions in 2007, are second from bottom on 33 after a 3-1 defeat by Mainz 05.

(Editing by Toby Davis and Tony Jimenez) Reblog Dortmund close in on second Bundesliga title after win over Schalke - CNN.com Dortmund close in on second Bundesliga title after win over Schalke By Updated 1949 GMT (0349 HKT) April 14, 2012 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Borussia Dortmund players congratulate each other after beating Schalke on Saturday to all but seal the Bundesliga title Story highlights Borrusia Dortmund on the brink of second successive Bundesliga title after 2-1 win against Schalke Nearest rivals Bayern Munich play our goalless draw to leave Jurgen Klopp's team eight points clear Borussia Dortmund are a step closer to successfully defending their Bundesliga title after coming from behind to beat Schalke 2-1 on Saturday. With nearest rivals Bayern Munich only managing a 0-0 draw at home to Mainz, Jurgen Klopp's team are now eight points clear at the top of the table with only three games left. "It feels good, but no, nothing has been decided yet.

In the last few days we have beaten the second and third placed teams in the table, so this team has earned their place at the top," the Dormund manager said after the game. Dortmund sink Bayern Peru striker Jefferson Farfan opened the scoring for Schalke in the ninth minute -- his shot from the edge of the penalty area taking a deflection off Shinji Kagawa. But Dortmund were soon back on level terms when Polish international Lukasz Piszczek scored from a tight angle eight minutes later. Captain Sebastian Kehl then scored Dormund's decisive second in the 63rd minute to secure the win and set a new Bundesliga record of 25 consecutive games without defeat. At the other end of the table, Kaiserslautern will almost certainly be playing in Bundesliga 2 next season after they went down to a 2-0 home defeat to Nuremberg. The defeat leaves them nine points from safety. Second-from-bottom Hertha Berlin are still staring down the barrel despite coming back to claim a point in a 3-3 draw away to Bayer Levekusen.

The home side were 2-0 up and Hertha finished the game with ten men -- captain Levan Kobiashvili sent off for a challenge on Swiss forward Eren Derdiyok -- but still salvaged a draw. Three goals in a frantic period midway through the second half saw them on the brink of a valuable win before Stefan Kiessling equalised for the hosts in the 83rd minute. Cologne, who are also in danger of being relegated, travel to Moenchengladbach on Sunday. In other matches played Saturday, 15th-placed Augsburg gave their survival chances a boost with a 2-1 at Wolfsburg. Hamburg, who are one place above Augsburg, also improved their prospects with a 1-0 win against Hanover. Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich: 5 Things We Learned About the Bundesliga Title Race | Bleacher Report Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich: 5 Things We Learned About the Bundesliga Title Race World Football Lead WriterOctober 18, 2016 Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich: 5 Things We Learned About the Bundesliga Title Race 1 of 6 Barring a disaster, the Bundesliga belongs to Borussia Dortmund.

Now the question is: How long will they hold it? Dortmund defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 at home Wednesday night to move six points clear atop the Bundesliga table with four matches left. Jurgen Klopp's men need only six more points to claim their second-straight title. With reinforcements already secured this summer, Dortmund find themselves in a strong position for the future. First, though, here are five things we learned about the current title race from Wednesday's match. It's (All But) Over 2 of 6 Bayern remain mathematically alive, but the title race in Germany is, for practical purposes, finished. Thanks to their recent five-game winning streak in the league, a win for the visitors would have drawn them level with Dortmund. A draw would have sustained the drama for at least another weekend. But it's hard to see even Bayern recovering from such a hole—six points with just four matches left—in such a short time. Here for the Long Haul? 3 of 6 Is it too early to install Dortmund as the favorites for next season's Bundesliga as well? After doing the double over Bayern this season, Dortmund appear to have figured out how to beat their more illustrious rivals on the pitch.

Off the pitch, they're showing they can compete as well. The addition of Marco Reus from Borussia Monchengladbach will clearly help Dortmund next season. The same could be said for the return and further development of Mario Götze, who had been linked with several elite clubs before suffering a long-term injury in January. This season, Dortmund have set a club record by going 24 matches (and counting) unbeaten in league play. What will they do for an encore? The Moments Went Dortmund's Way 4 of 6 In every title race, there are certain moments that, in hindsight, prove decisive. On Wednesday, all those moments favored Dortmund. For 76 minutes, two evenly-matched teams battled to a stalemate. In the 77th minute, a moment of magic from Robert Lewandowski turned the tide in favor of Dortmund. After a Dortmund corner, Kevin Großkreutz sent a low shot on goal from the edge of the box. With his back to goal, Lewandowski redirected the ball away from Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer—who would have easily saved the original shot—and into the net.

Eight minutes later, in-form Dutch midfielder Arjen Robben hit what could turn out to be the worst penalty of his career, a soft effort that Roman Weidenfeller had no trouble saving. And in stoppage time, Robben missed an open net. Nine times out of 10, Robben would have scored that penalty. And 99 times out of 100, he would have scored in that open net. But he didn't, and now Dortmund are the presumptive champions. Bayern Need Schweinsteiger 5 of 6 We all knew this already, but Bayern are a different team with and without Bastian Schweinsteiger. In the first half, with Schweinsteiger on the bench, Bayern's midfield looked lost. The visitors gave away possession too easily, allowing too many Dortmund attacks, and came out second best in too many tackles . Schweinsteiger entered the match in the 61st minute, and his presence steadied the midfield. Unfortunately for Bayern, it didn't do anything to help his team in the final third.

The Real Winner Is… 6 of 6 Borussia Dortmund will probably win the title, but the real winner from Wednesday night's match was the German national team. Both clubs are stocked with German internationals and all those players will take this experience with them to Euro 2012 this summer. Wednesday's match provided an intense, cup final-type atmosphere and the tight title race has served to harden all the players in the crucible of prolonged competition. If everyone can get healthy—from Bayern's Schweinsteiger to Dortmund's Gotze—Germany will be a force this summer. Robert Lewandowski takes Bayern Munich eight clear with win over Köln | Football | The Guardian Robert Lewandowski takes Bayern Munich eight clear with win over Köln Köln 0-1 Bayern Munich Bayern Munich’s Polish striker Robert Lewandowski battles with Köln’s Danish defender Frederik Sorensen in the Bundesliga.

Photograph: Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images Associated Press Saturday 19 March 2016 14.21 EDT Last modified on Wednesday 10 August 2016 14.23 EDT Share on Messenger Close The Bundesliga leading scorer Robert Lewandowski’s 25th goal of the season was enough for Bayern Munich to beat Köln 1-0 and provisionally stretch their lead to eight points on Saturday. Internazionale end Roma’s eight-match winning run in race for third Read more “When you only win 1-0 it’s dangerous to the end. It’s a pity because we had chances, but we have the three points,” Lewandowski said. Lacklustre defending allowed the Poland striker to score in the 10th minute, firing inside the far corner after Xabi Alonso and then Thiago Alcântara encountered a similar lack of resistance. With seven games remaining, Lewandowski already has one more than his previous season-best of 24 for Borussia Dortmund, in 2012-13. “There are still lots of games and goals to score, I hope.

The number I need for the top scorer’s trophy is not an issue for me,” said Lewandowski, competing with Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (22 goals) and his Bayern team-mate Thomas Müller (19). With the lead in the bag, Bayern comfortably dominated the rest of the half without too much exertion. Leonardo Bittencourt had the home side’s first shot on goal in the 50th minute, straight at Manuel Neuer. Anthony Modeste had Köln’s best chance with Neuer stranded but David Alaba came to his goalkeeper’s rescue with a crucial block. Alaba extended his Bayern contract to 2021 on Friday. Neuer also saved from Bittencourt in injury time. Dortmund can restore the five-point gap with a win at Augsburg on Sunday. Japan’s Genki Haraguchi scored one and set up another for high-flying Hertha Berlin to beat Ingolstadt 2-1 and consolidate third place. Atlético Madrid trip up in title race after Sporting Gijón fight back to win Read more Haraguchi shot the home side ahead in the 54th and crossed for Salomon Kalou in the 69th.

Lukas Hinterseer pulled one back to make it exciting with 15 minutes remaining, but John Anthony Brooks cleared off the line to safeguard Hertha’s three points. “It’s typical for us after we go 2-0 up [to concede]. We have to change that,” said the Hertha coach, Pal Dardai, whose side are enjoying its best season for seven years. André Schürrle scored in injury time to salvage a 1-1 draw for Wolfsburg against Darmstadt, while Hoffenheim boosted their chances of avoiding the drop with a 3-1 win at Hamburg. Mainz drew 1-1 at Werder Bremen, Claudio Pizarro’s 12th goal of the season for Bremen, a penalty, cancelling out Julian Baumgartlinger’s 38th-minute opener. Eintracht Frankfurt were hosting Hannover in a relegation battle later on Saturday.

Bayern win record fourth straight Bundesliga title Bayern win record fourth straight Bundesliga title By Karolos Grohmann Share View photos Football Soccer - FC Ingolstadt 04 v Bayern Munich - German Bundesliga - Audi Sportpark, Ingolstadt, Germany 07/05/16 Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski scores a penalty. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle. More By Karolos Grohmann BERLIN (Reuters) - Bayern Munich secured a record fourth consecutive Bundesliga title, with a game to spare, on Saturday after a 2-1 victory at Ingolstadt 04 eased the disappointment of their midweek Champions League exit. The Bavarians clinched a 26th German league crown, and their first silverware of the season, thanks to two goals from top scorer Robert Lewandowski in the first half. Four days after their away-goals defeat by Atletico Madrid ensured a third consecutive Champions League semi-final exit, Bayern went eight points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund who lost 1-0 at struggling Eintracht Frankfurt . "A big compliment to everyone in the team.

I am happy to have lived these experiences here," said Bayern coach Pep Guardiola who will join Manchester City at the end of the season. "I want to share this title with (predecessor) Jupp Heynckes. We achieved something very special, four league titles in a row." Heynckes started the run during the 2012-13 treble-winning season before Spaniard Guardiola took over. Bayern can secure the double when they meet Dortmund in the German Cup final on May 21 in Berlin. The final whistle sparked a party at the 15,000-seater Audi Sportpark, with forward Thomas Mueller grabbing a loudhailer to lead singing with the fans. In Guardiola's penultimate league game after three seasons in charge, Bayern went ahead when Lewandowski scored from the penalty spot in the 15th minute. The visitors took their foot off the gas and let Ingolstadt back into the game with a 42nd-minute penalty converted by Moritz Hartmann. BAYERN CONSISTENCY "It is no small feat to win the league four times in a row," said Mueller.

"It required a lot of work, quality is not enough if you don't put the work into it. "The consistency we have shown in the last few years is incredible. The beer glasses will be in full swing this evening." Borussia Moenchengladbach's Andre Hahn scored twice in a 2-1 comeback victory over Bayer Leverkusen that all but secured fourth place and a Champions League qualifying round spot. Gladbach, who lost their opening five league matches of the season, have 52 points. Mainz 05, Hertha Berlin and Schalke 04 are all on 49. Schalke conceded an 89th-minute equalizer in their 1-1 home draw with Augsburg while Hertha slumped to a 2-1 defeat against Darmstadt 98. Sandro Wagner's 83rd-minute winner delighted Darmstadt and made sure of their Bundesliga status next season. Former champions Werder Bremen drew 0-0 at Cologne and now meet Eintracht in their last game of the regular season. Werder are in the relegation playoff spot on 35 points with Eintracht one place above on 36.

VfB Stuttgart, champions in 2007, are second from bottom on 33 after a 3-1 defeat by Mainz 05. (Editing by Toby Davis and Tony Jimenez) Reblog Is Borussia Dortmund Vs. Bayern Munich A Changing Of The Guard? It's Complicated - SBNation.com Is Borussia Dortmund Vs. Bayern Munich A Changing Of The Guard? It's Complicated Borussia Dortmund host Bayern Munich in a match with implications reaching further than just one simple match. Rec Bongarts/Getty Images It is an understatement to say that Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich saw their 2010-2011 campaigns end in different fashions. Flying high from beginning to end, Dortmund were crowned league champions and finished seven points ahead of their nearest challenger. Bayern barely recovered from a near-disastrous slump and finished in third. Let's go back to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Germany had figured out how to produce a large quantity of young, international quality players. The country was not only turning out these players at a younger age, they had flair. No. They didn't just have flair. They had immense flair.

The German academies had started a revolution in the Bundesliga. This "revolution" of budding superstars had a face, but this time it wasn't Bayern Munich. The face was Borussia Dortmund. The media spread a fear of major turnover being "expected" at Dortmund over the summer, but they lost only one player of any consequence when Nuri Şahin was sold to Real Madrid. Mario Götze, Shinji Kagawa, Mats Hummels, and Lucas Barrios all stayed. The "expected" massive turnover never happened. They would defend their title in the 2011-2012 season with largely the same team that won the title. However, as always, the road to the Bundesliga crown goes through Munich, not Dortmund. Bayern retooled their defense in the summer by bringing in Manuel Neuer from Dortmund's main rival, Schalke, as well as defenders Rafinha and Jerome Boateng . They were focused on bringing "their" title back to Munich. The last time the Bundesliga title was away from Munich for more than one season was in 1994-1996 when the championship was, where else, but in Dortmund.

Since that time, Bayern have won nine of the 15 Bundesliga titles. Things were naturally going to fall into place for them to win the title as their steely determination overpowered Dortmund's ... fun. If I may go on a slight tangent... When you watch a Borussia Dortmund match, do you not feel the energy? Does it not seem like they enjoy every single kick of the ball? If you don't believe me, watch manager Jürgen Klopp when the ball finds the back of the net for a Dortmund player. The pure, unadulterated joy on his face is evident during every celebration. Klopp designed this team to his exact specifications, and he thoroughly enjoys watching them play and succeed. Sure, you can make the argument that the majority of the players are just kids. Seven players in their preferred started 11 are 24 years or younger. "They don't know any better." I happen to disagree with that statement. I think they do know, and that's what makes this entire team enjoyable. Okay, off of the tangent... There is one thing every fan will have noticed this week coming out of the Bayern camp -- silence.

The attempt at striking fear into the opponent from the always quotable Bayern president Uli Hoeness and CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge hasn't occurred. Do the two not want to give Dortmund any extra motivation going into the match? Perhaps this is the first sign that Bayern is truly looking at Dortmund as a potential problem that's not going away. Admitting that Dortmund are building into a power that could rival Bayern year in and year out in the Bundesliga and in Europe won't be the next step, but it may be the time to consider that Bayern may not be alone much longer. While challenging Bayern on the pitch is an important aspect of Dortmund's rise, they won't be able to sustain this challenge without finding a way to challenge Bayern off of the pitch. Dortmund were nearly driven into the ground in the early 2000's due to disgraceful financial management. Their ability to compete against Bayern on the open market for world class stars was completely destroyed. The club has spent nearly the last decade recovering from the mismanagement and can now see light at the end of the tunnel.

In January , Dortmund announced a record revenue mark of €101.4 million for the period of July 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. ''Borussia has developed itself economically and on a sporting level continuously over the last few years,'' Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said. We are now heading into matchday 30 of the Bundesliga. Dortmund are on top of the table by three points and the general consensus is that if Bayern does not walk away from Westfalenstadion with all three points, then the title will remain in Dortmund at least one more season. If Dortmund were to win, it would be their fourth straight victory in the Bundesliga against Bayern with the opportunity for a fifth looming next month in the DFB Pokal Final. A win by Dortmund also signals somewhat of a "changing of the guard". The win would make a resounding statement that Bayern can no longer rest on their laurels of being the club in the country any longer. Bayern lost a head-to-head battle with Dortmund this year over the signing of Borussia Mönchengladbach star Marco Reus.

Would a win by Dortmund be enough to convince Shinji Kagawa to sign an extension to remain in Dortmund? If he does, an attacking front of Robert Lewandowski, Götze, Kagawa, and Reus is enough to scare any defense. Nothing changes overnight. Beating Bayern is only good if they capitalize on it. The Bundesliga "guard" will be Bayern Munich, and it will be them for some time. The larger scale war is being able to raise your profile as much off the pitch as on it to compete with Bayern Munich domestically and internationally for players and trophies. Sometimes, it only takes one battle to change the tide of a war. Cologne relegated, Dortmund break Bundesliga record - Xinhua | English.news.cn Cologne relegated, Dortmund break Bundesliga record NetEase Weibo BERLIN, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Cologne were relegated on the final day of German Bundesliga season on Saturday following a 4-1 home defeat to Bayern Munich while champions Borussia Dortmund broke the Bundesliga record for the most points in a season with a 4-0 thrashing of Freiburg.

"My team has erased any doubts and proven their character," said Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp after his side finished the season eight points clear of Champions League finalists Bayern Munich. "They have shown an impressive appetite for football. Something extraordinary has happened: we have got 81 points, which no team will beat anytime soon." Dortmund's second consecutive title triumph allowed them to break Bayern's long-held record of 79 for the most points amassed in a season. Dortmund also extended their unbeaten run to 28 games. All four Dortmund goals came from Poland internationals as Robert Lewandowski netted twice, while international team-mate Jakub Blaszczykowski also hit two goals to make it 4-0 at the break. In contrast, Cologne's 4-1 defeat at home to Bayern saw them drop to 17th in the league and suffer automatic relegation, after Hertha Berlin's 3-1 home win over 10-man Hoffenheim lifted them to 16th. Hertha must now win a two-leg play-off against a team from the second division to stay in the top tier.

Arsenal-bound Lukas Podolski marked his Cologne farewell, but could not prevent his team suffering a home defeat by Bayern. German international Thomas Mueller put Bayern on 34 minutes and Cologne captain Pedro Geromel then turned the ball into his own net on 52 minutes and Bayern's Dutch star Arjen Robben curled in the third on 54 minutes. The hosts pulled a goal back, but Mueller netted Bayern's fourth to compound Cologne's misery and send them down. Hannover claimed the last available Europa League qualification spot as their 2-1 win at home to Kaiserslautern left them seventh, while Stuttgart's 3-2 win over Wolfsburg denied Wolves a top-seven finish and a place in Europe. Germany's Stefan Kiessling hit a hat-trick in Bayer Leverkusen's 4-1 victory at Nuremberg as ex-Germany captain Michael Ballack made his final appearance for Leverkusen. Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was Bundesliga's top scorer with 29 goals in 32 games after he scored twice in his team's 3-2 win at Werder Bremen.

Elsewhere, having finished 14th in their first season in Germany's top flight, Augsburg enjoyed a 1-0 win over Hamburg. Editor: Yang Lina Bayern win record fourth straight Bundesliga title Bayern win record fourth straight Bundesliga title By Karolos Grohmann Share By Karolos Grohmann BERLIN (Reuters) - Bayern Munich secured a record fourth consecutive Bundesliga title, with a game to spare, on Saturday after a 2-1 victory at Ingolstadt 04 eased the disappointment of their midweek Champions League exit. The Bavarians clinched a 26th German league crown, and their first silverware of the season, thanks to two goals from top scorer Robert Lewandowski in the first half. Four days after their away-goals defeat by Atletico Madrid ensured a third consecutive Champions League semi-final exit, Bayern went eight points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund who lost 1-0 at struggling Eintracht Frankfurt. "A big compliment to everyone in the team. I am happy to have lived these experiences here," said Bayern coach Pep Guardiola who will join Manchester City at the end of the season.

"I want to share this title with (predecessor) Jupp Heynckes. We achieved something very special, four league titles in a row." Heynckes started the run during the 2012-13 treble-winning season before Spaniard Guardiola took over. Bayern can secure the double when they meet Dortmund in the German Cup final on May 21 in Berlin. The final whistle sparked a party at the 15,000-seater Audi Sportpark, with forward Thomas Mueller grabbing a loudhailer to lead singing with the fans. In Guardiola's penultimate league game after three seasons in charge, Bayern went ahead when Lewandowski scored from the penalty spot in the 15th minute. The visitors took their foot off the gas and let Ingolstadt back into the game with a 42nd-minute penalty converted by Moritz Hartmann. BAYERN CONSISTENCY "It is no small feat to win the league four times in a row," said Mueller. "It required a lot of work, quality is not enough if you don't put the work into it. "The consistency we have shown in the last few years is incredible.

The beer glasses will be in full swing this evening." Borussia Moenchengladbach's Andre Hahn scored twice in a 2-1 comeback victory over Bayer Leverkusen that all but secured fourth place and a Champions League qualifying round spot. Gladbach, who lost their opening five league matches of the season, have 52 points. Mainz 05, Hertha Berlin and Schalke 04 are all on 49. Schalke conceded an 89th-minute equaliser in their 1-1 home draw with Augsburg while Hertha slumped to a 2-1 defeat against Darmstadt 98. Sandro Wagner's 83rd-minute winner delighted Darmstadt and made sure of their Bundesliga status next season. Former champions Werder Bremen drew 0-0 at Cologne and now meet Eintracht in their last game of the regular season. Werder are in the relegation playoff spot on 35 points with Eintracht one place above on 36. VfB Stuttgart, champions in 2007, are second from bottom on 33 after a 3-1 defeat by Mainz 05.

(Editing by Toby Davis and Tony Jimenez) Reblog Bundesliga crown stays in Dortmund - CNN.com Bundesliga crown stays in Dortmund By Updated 1920 GMT (0320 HKT) April 21, 2012 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Shinji Kagawa celebrates after scoring Dortmund's second goal against Monchengladbach at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday. Story highlights Borussia Dortmund clinch second successive German league title on Saturday Jurgen Klopp's team beat Borussia Monchengladbach 2-0 in front of home fans Victory seals championship with two rounds of the Bundesliga remaining Second-placed Bayern Munich win ahead of Champions League semifinal trip Bayern Munich may be leading Germany's bid for success on European football's main stage, but Borussia Dortmund rule the roost domestically after winning the Bundesliga title for the second successive season on Saturday.

Champions League semifinalists Bayern made sure their rivals would have to get a result in the late kickoff by snatching a last-gasp 2-1 win at Werder Bremen, but Dortmund retained the crown with two matches to spare in front of their home crowd after a 2-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach. It put Jurgen Klopp's team eight points clear of Bayern, who go to Spain on Wednesday holding a 2-1 advantage over Real Madrid with the added incentive of a final at Munich's Allianz Arena on May 19. Dortmund failed to make it past the group stages of Europe's top club competition this season, but have won 23 of 32 matches in the German league and will face Bayern in the final of the German Cup on May 12. Croatia midfelder Ivan Perisic opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a header from Marcel Schmelzer's free-kick, while Japan international Shinji Kagawa settled any nerves of the 80,720 sellout home crowd at Signal Iduna Park with the second goal on the hour mark to seal the club's eighth title since forming in 1909.

Dortmund fans also cheered the return of 19-year-old Germany international Mario Gotze, who made his comeback as a substitute in the final 15 minutes having been sidelined by injury since mid-December. The victory extended Dortmund's unbeaten league run to 26 matches, and ended Bayern's slim hopes of a first title since 2010 and 23rd overall. Jupp Heynckes' team needed a stoppage-time goal from Franck Ribery, who followed up his opener against Real last Tuesday by dealing a major blow to eighth-placed Werder Bremen's hopes of Europa League football next season. Brazil defender Naldo put the home side ahead in the 51st minute, but diverted a cross by substitute Ribery into his own net with quarter of an hour to play. Ribery had been rested along with Arjen Robben -- who the France international reportedly fought with during the halftime break against Real and was fined, according to German reports. But Ribery struck in the final seconds to put Bayern 10 points clear of third-placed Schalke, who travel to fourth-bottom Augsburg on Sunday.

Monchengladbach stayed a point behind Schalke, and facing an uphill battle to qualify for the Champions League. Stuttgart drew 1-1 at third-bottom Cologne and stayed in fifth ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, who won 1-0 at Hoffenheim. Second-bottom Hertha Berlin's hopes of staying in the top flight suffered a big blow after a 2-1 home defeat by already-relegated Kaiserslautern.

Question: Which team finished eight points clear of Bayern Munich to win the Bundesliga title in 2012?
Answer: BORUSSIA DORTMUND